


Nights Like Tonight

by CHEKOVwildrose



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Drug Use, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Other, someone give jj love and affection please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:42:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23763283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CHEKOVwildrose/pseuds/CHEKOVwildrose
Summary: This was Pope's favorite version of JJ.
Relationships: JJ & Everyone, JJ/Pope (Outer Banks)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 388





	Nights Like Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of the characters. They definitely own my heart. This is my first fic so please be nice! Comments are always welcome. I really just wanted someone to be kind and gentle with JJ

This is Pope's favorite version of JJ. Most of the time he is simmering-either a slow bubble of anger that burst out of him whenever any of them were in trouble, or a constant crackle of energy. He is always laughing too loud at jokes, jumping on tables, anything for a bit of attention. Pope thought he was a coke fiend when he first met them in 8th grade. But no, it's just JJ. 

But JJ is not his normal self tonight. This is JJ elongated, stretched out like sun-warmed taffy, instead of wound tight like he usually is. This is Pope's favorite JJ. This is JJ relaxed. _JJ vulnerable_ a small voice whispers in the back of Pope's mind but he pushes the thought away. JJ doesn't have room in his life to be vulnerable. Pope isn't going to risk his safety with even the thought of the word. 

It started, like it always starts, with John B rolling the fattest blunt Pope had every seen. As they smoked Pope could practically see the moments each of JJ's joints unlocked. The same could be said for John B, but he doesn't carry the same weight around with him. So when he sets it down the effects aren't as noticeable. But with JJ it's like he eases with each hit until his spine gives out and he melts into the couch. Popes always a little afraid to touch him at this point. Like JJ went from solid to liquid and if Pope prods him he might turn into gas and disappear completely.

Normally, this is the point where most people pass out. But not JJ. Popes not sure how he does it but JJ just floats there for a while, somehow both a part of the couch and hovering just a few inches above it. If you squint, and Pope always does, you can see the fizz of energy hiding behind his calm. Like he's hazy, a blurry barrier erected around him, keeping the world at bay. Pope wonders how well that barrier works. If he reached out, would it keep Pope's hand from touching him? He's glad he's too afraid to try. 

It's John B that eventually brings him back down. It's always John B. Pope doesn't know how he knows when to do it. But eventually John B will toss a sweatshirt, an old t-shirt, something at JJ who will chuckle and then slowly wrap himself up in it. This is when Pope knows it's safe to approach again. Like all the little, loose, floatly bits of JJ are suddenly tethered to him by whatever fabric John B throws at him. He's still liquid, but not at risk of evaporating any more. 

Pope watches JJ slide his arms into the sleeves of the pink hoodie, then pull it over his head. Each movement happens in slow motion but Pope refuses to blink, worried he might miss something. Not until JJ has pulled the hood back up, blond hair poking out all around his face will Pope risk looking away. He hands JJ his aviators. It's dark outside, the sun set hours ago but JJ needs them more than ever.

'Give him some armor." Kei had said. 'We can't come at him and not give him the chance to protect himself.' They'd all nodded, too aware that when it came to affection JJ shouldn't have to worry about protecting himself. But they'd been 15 and didn't know how to stop anything. So now John B throws sweatshirts at him and Pope hands him glasses and they all wait for him to put them on before moving closer. 

Pope moves first. He grabs himself a beer and sits down next to JJ. He makes sure to make a lot of noise, telegraphing where he is, where he's going, what he's doing. When Pope had first found out he'd looked up 'abuse'. He'd looked up 'PTSD'. He did what he could. The noise he is making should've disrupted the quiet of the night but it doesn't. It's part of the ritual. So Pope rattles the ice in the cooler as he grabs a beer, opens it as he walks around the couch, and sighs as he finally sits down. Eventually, he'll lean back and throw an arm over the back of the sofa, his side a solid offering for JJ to press his shoulder into. But not yet. Kie's not braced on JJ's other side so not yet.

She moves next though, pulling the pillow out of under JJ's arm she slides over the arm rest and into it's place. She curls her long legs up, jostling JJ with her knees and she tucks her feet up.

'You guys,' JJ grumbles. 'Always tryna steal the couch.' Pope waits for Kei to fire back, but she doesn't. She just lets JJ grumble and settle around her. _More_ _armor_ , Pope thinks. And in the end no one says anything when her thighs have replaced the pillow that was under JJ's arm. One of his hands resting lightly on her knee. 

The three of them sit like that for a while, John B in the other room. Probably looking through his dad's things. _What do we do if he needs us too?_ They stare at the wall. Kei makes plans to save the endangered wildlife, including the one sandwiched between them. JJ breathes slowly, relaxing back into the couch after Kei's intrusion. And Pope finishes his beer, kicking himself for being so smart but only figuring out how to use it to help himself. When the can is empty he gets up and repeats the ritual. Ice rattles, the can cracks and hisses open, he sighs and sits.

'You're gonna use up all the air if you keep huffing like that.' JJ's head is tipped back as he stares at the ceiling. Pope holds his breath and watches blond eyelashes blink in slow motion.

'You're gonna hurt your neck if you keep sitting like that.' JJ hums in agreement so Pope leans back close to him and slides his arm along the back of the couch. JJ hums again, his neck lifting up up up-and for a second Pope is scared it's going to break and JJ will forever be two: head and heart, mind and body instead of one: unbroken human-before dropping his head back down onto Pope's arm. Kei huffs out a laugh and John B walks back into the room. He leans against the door frame, his eyes glassy. _From the weed, from the weed. Not tears tonight._ Pope feels selfish and mean for thinking it but he doesn't know how to hold both of them together, and JJ is the more fragile of the two.

They all look at him, and he looks back at all three of them pressed together on his love seat. A three headed pile of teenagers that never feels quite complete until there is four. So John B smiles and comes to sit on the floor in front of JJ. He rolls another joint, this one smaller than before. Kei digs out her laptop and hands it to him in exchange for the blunt. He sets up the laptop and she lights the joint before passing it to JJ. John B pulls up Netflix and scrolls through as JJ turns to Pope, exhaling a cloud of smoke into his face. 

'You want some?' He grins, dropping his head onto Pope's shoulder so he can look at him over the top of his sunglasses. Pope just stares back. On nights like tonight JJ feels like he could ooze all over him, like he might roll his head onto Pope's shoulder and then just keep sliding right into his chest. Pope knows he'd let him. He'd let him stay, and then walk around extra careful for the rest of his life knowing he had both of their hearts to protect now. He'd let him if JJ asked. But JJ can't ask. He doesn't have the words for it, doesn't even speak the language.

Instead of waiting for Pope to answer JJ peels himself forward to hand the joint back to John B saying, 'make it go boom, man.' So John B plays the action movie with the most explosions that he can think of and takes the joint back. It passes back to Kei, to JJ, to John B. To Kei, to JJ, to John B. Tracing the corners of Pope's own personal Holy Trinity. Pope watches explosions and feels JJ melt into his side, hand tangled with Kei's, leg's resting on either side of John B.

Tonight is Pope's favorite version of JJ because it's not the everyday version of JJ. This is JJ extended, reaching. He doesn't have the words yet, but on nights like tonight Pope loves this version of JJ because it feels like he might be learning.


End file.
